We have but fragmentary and imperfect accounts of John the Baptist or John the Baptizer in the Gospels. (The Eastern Orthodox also refer to him as John the Forerunner because he was the forerunner of Christ.) He was of priestly
descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of
Abia 1 Chr. 24:10 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?1ch+24:10), and his mother, Elisabeth, was of the
daughters of AaronLuke 1:5 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?lk+1:5). The mission of John was the
subject of prophecy Matt. 3:3; Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?ma+3:3;is+40:3;mal+3:1). His birth,
which took place six months before that of Jesus, was foretold
by an angel. Zacharias, deprived of the power of speech as a
token of God's truth and a reproof of his own incredulity with
reference to the birth of his son, had the power of speech
restored to him on the occasion of his circumcisionLuke 1:64 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?lk+1:64).
After this no more is recorded of him for thirty years than what
is mentioned in Luke 1:80 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?lk+1:80). John was a Nazarite[?] from his birth
Luke 1:15; Num. 6:1-12 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?lk+1:15;nu+6:1-12). He spent his early years in the
mountainous tract of Judea lying between Jerusalem and the
Dead SeaMatt. 3:1-12 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?mat+3:1-12).

At length he came forth into public life, and great multitudes
from "every quarter" were attracted to him. The sum of his
preaching was the necessity of repentance. He denounced the
Sadducees and Pharisees as a "generation of vipers," and warned
them of the folly of trusting to external privileges Luke 3:8 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?lk+3:8).
"As a preacher, John was eminently practical and discriminating.
Self-love and covetousness were the prevalent sins of the people
at large. On them, therefore, he enjoined charity and
consideration for others. The publicans he cautioned against
extortion, the soldiers against crime and plunder." His doctrine
and manner of life roused the entire south of Palestine, and the
people from all parts flocked to the place where he was, on the
banks of the Jordan. There he baptized thousands unto repentance (see AEnon).

The fame of John reached the ears of Jesus in NazarethMatt. 3:5 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?ma+3:5), and he came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized of John,
on the special ground that it became him to "fulfil all
righteousness" 3:15 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?ma+3:15). John's special office ceased with the
baptism of Jesus, who must now "increase" as the King come to
his kingdom. He continued, however, for a while to bear
testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his
disciples, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." His public ministry
was suddenly (after about six months probably) brought to a
close by his being cast into prison by Herod, whom he had
reproved for the sin of having taken to himself the wife of his
brother Philip Luke 3:19 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?lk+3:19). He was shut up in the castle of
Machaerus (q.v.), a fortress on the southern extremity of
Peraea, 9 miles east of the Dead Sea, and here he was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias and Salomé.
His disciples, having consigned the headless body to the grave,
went and told Jesus all that had occurred Matt. 14:3-12 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?ma+14:3-12).
John's death occurred apparently just before the third Passover
of Jesus' ministry.

Jesus himself testified regarding John
that he was a "burning and a shining light" John 5:35 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?jn+5:35). The Eastern Orthodox believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge figure between that period of revelation and Jesus. They also have a tradition that, following his death, John descended into Hell and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming.

Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Quebec. His feast day is June 24.

The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order of the church year which begins on September 1: